Folding chair-cot



Oct.v 7, 1958 J. E. GRIFFITH FOLDING CHAIR-cow s sheets-sheet 1 FiledAug. Isa?. 1954 INVENTOR John E Griffith ATTORNEY J. E. GRIFFITH FOLDINGCHAIR-cor oct.. 7, 195s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27. 1954 INVENTORJohn E. Griffith ATTORNEY J. E.' GRIFFITH FOLDING CHAIR-COT ocr. 7, 195s3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 27. 1954 INVENTOR John E. Griffith BY 7, M

ATTORNEY United States Patent() 2,855,025 FOLDING CHAIR-COT John E.Griffith, South Pittsburg, Tenn.

Application August 27, 1954, Serial N0.,452,613

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-45) This invention relates to a folding andcollapsible chaircot.

An object of my invention is to provide a chair-cot which may be foldedand set up for use as a Chair or folded and set up for use as a cot, `orfolded into a corn- -pact spa-ce for purposes of transportation.

A further object is to provide a folding chair-cot having a canvasportion which may be utilized as a combined back and seat when thechair-cot is arranged to be used as a chair.

A further object is to provide a folding chair-cot hav-v ing a canvasportion which may be positioned to provide a body support when thechair-cot is set up for use as a cot.

A still further yobject is to provide a folding chair-cot t having acanvas supporting element which may be extended to serve partially as asun visor at the time that the chair-cot isset up as a chair.

A still further object is to provide a folding chair-cot having bracesand supporting elements which serve las arms and legs when set up into achair position and which elements serve as side rails and legs when setup into a cot position.

Further objects will become obvious from the description contained inthe following specification.

ln the figures:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the chair-cot when it is set upasa chair;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the chair-cot when set up as a chair;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing the chair-cot practicallyfolded for purposes of transportation or storage;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the chair-cot when Vset up for use as acot;

Fig. 5 is a View in side elevation of the chair-cot when set up for useas a cot;

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of the chair-cot when set up as a cot;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective `showing the siderails as aligned when the chair-cot is set up as a cot;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5 taken inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse cross-section showing the clip forsupporting the canvas in position for use as a cot, the latch beingdisengaged;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse cross-section showing the latch in itsclosed or latched position;

Fig. ll is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. l()looking in the direction yof the arrows;

Fig. l2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly broken away showing thechair arm and seat canvas; and

Fig. 13 is a cross-section taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Preferably, my folding chair is made of relatively light weight, butstrong, wooden strips, although it will be obvious that the chair cotmay be constructed of metal ICC material or suitable tubular materialwith or without an `attachable cushion.

Side rails 10 and 12 are pivotally secured together and spaced apart bya transverse rod 14. Near one end of the side rail 1 0, a rod 16 ispivotally attached by a transverse stub shaft 18 and extends upwardly(at ,the time that the chair-cot is to be set up as a chair).Approximately equidistant from the ends of the side rails 10, arms 20arepivotally secured thereto by stub shafts or rivets 22 in position sothat when they are folded into an approximate horizontal position, therod 16 may be inserted into U.- shaped cuts 24 in the ends thereof.

At the ends of the side rail 10, 4remote lfrom the stub shafts 18, Iprovide a transverse rod Z6 which extends` therebetween and holdsadjacent to the side rails 10 relatively short rails 28, the ends ofwhich remote from the transverse rod 26 are provided with U-shaped cuts30, the

purpose of which will be described more fully hereinafter.

The rails 28 are spaced apart and held in their spaced apart position bytransverse rods 32 and 34 over which a strip of canvas 36 is positionedand fastened thereto. One end `of the strip of canvas 36 is attached tothe transverse rod 32 from which it extends over the rod 34 and drops ina catenary curve to be positioned over a transverse rod 3S attachedbetween and spacing apart the rods 16, from which it extends to a rod 4@to which it is secured, the function of which Awill be described morefully 4hereinafter.

Approximately intermediate between the stub shaft 22 and the transverserod 26, I pivota'lly secure braces 42 to the side rails 10 by means ofstub shafts 44. At the end of the braces 42 'remote from their pivotalconnection with the side rails 1t), I provide a transverse rod 46 whichsecures the ends of the braces 42 in spaced apart relationship equal tothe spaced apart distance between them at their point of connection tothe side rails v10.

At the time Athat my chair-cot is set up as a chair, as sho-wn moreparticularly in Figs. l and 2, the transverse rod 46 is adapted to beinserted in an U-shaped notch in the side rail 12 thereby to hold theside rail 10 in the position in which it is shown in Fig. l of thedrawings.

When the chair-cot is set up in the position vin which it is shown inFig. l, the side rail l0 will be at an angle of approximately 45 tovertical and horizontal; the side rail 12 will extend downwardly fromthe side rail l0 so that `rnate horizontal position, and the canvasstrip 36 in an approximate catenary curve, as it is clearly disclosed inFig. l of the drawings.

The end of the canvas strip 36 is secured to the transverse rod 4@ whichis adapted to be positioned on the upper edges of the side rails 12 andbear against a transverse strip 50, which is also adapted to space thetwo side legs 52 a suitable distance apart adjacent to the side rails12. Thus when pressure is placed upon thecanvas strip 36 by virtue of anindividual sitting on the chair, the transverse rod 40 will be pulledtightly into the angle formed between the upper edge of the side rail 12and the transverse strip 50.

Pivotally secured to each side rail 12, I provide a leg 52 which ispivoted to the side rails 12 by suitable stub shafts or rivets 54, andare frictionally held in alignment when the chair-cot is set up as achair. The function of these legs 52 will be described more fullyhereinafter.

At the time that my chair-cot is set up into position to be utilized as`a chair, as fully disclosed in Figs. l and 2, the weight of theindividual who is sitting thereon will obviously stretch the canvasstrip 36, pulling the same taut around the transverse rods 26 and 38which will con- `sequently urge the rod 40 snugly against the edges ofthe side rail 12 and the transverse strip 50. It will be obvious thatwhen an individual is seated upon the chair, his weight will rest uponthe canvas strip 36 and the arms 20 will be in position to beconveniently used as is customary with a chair which is provided with aconventional arm rest.

At the time that the chair-cot is to be prepared for use as a cot orbed, the side rail 12 is pivoted on the transverse rod 14 so'that itwill be in alignment with the side rail 10, as it is clearly disclosedin Figs. 4 and 5. At this time the apertures 56 and 58 in the side rails10 and 12 respectively, will be aligned so that a conventional pin maybe inserted therethrough to hold the side rails in their Ialignedpositions. To additionally assure the stability of alignment between theside rails and 12, I provide an angle clip 60 which is suitably securedto the side rail 10 and is adapted to provide a stop support for theside rail 12 t0 prevent it from being hinged beyond proper alignmentwith the side rail 10. At the time that the chaircot is to be positionedlas a cot, the rails 28 are swung around on their transverse rod 26 sothat the U-shaped cut 30 may be placed over the transverse rod 46,spacing apart the ends of the braces 42 remote from their point ofpivotal connection with the side rail 10. Also the arms are pivotallyswung over, from the position in which they 'are shown in Fig. 1, ontheir stub shafts or rivets 22, as are the rods 16 swung downwardly fromthe side rails 10 around their stub shafts 18 into the position in Whichthey are shown in Fig. 5. The rods 16 are at that time introduced intothe U-shaped cuts 24 in the ends of the arms 20. Also the transverse rod40 is placed into the notch 48 to hold the canvas strip 36 in its tautposition.

1n order to provide additional support for the canvas 36, which at thetime that the chair-cot is prepared as a cot or bed extends from thetransverse rod 26 over the transverse rod 40, I provide suitable canvasor pliable strips 62 which are positioned diagonally crosswise betweenthe side rails 10 and 12.

The pliable strips 62 are provided at their ends, and at the points atwhich they are folded over to extend from one side rail diagonally tothe side rail on the opposite side of the cot, with eyes 64. Secured tothe side rails 10 and 12, I provide a strap or link 66 to which ispivotally secured an arm 68 which is adapted to carry a hook 70.

be pulled by the arm 68 into the position in which it is shown in Fig.10 to hold the pliable strip 62 stretched between the side rails 10 onthe opposite sides of the cot. With the strips 62 thus tautlypositioned, ample support is given to the canvas strip 36 which willform a horizontal surface adapted lto serve as an ample support for anindividual wishing to use the assembled cot as a bed on which torecline.

It will be understood that minor `changes may be made in the devicewith-out departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claim.

I claim:

A folding convertible chair cot including two pair of pivotallyconnected side rails, transverse rods spacing the side rails of eachpair apart, braces pivoted to the said rails of one pair, said bracesadapted to engage said other pair of rails, arms pivoted to the siderails of said pair, rods pivoted to the side rails of said pair andremovably engaging the ends of said arms remote from their pivot points,a pair of short side rails pivoted to the ends of said pair of siderails, rods spacing said short rails apart, a pliable strip secured atone end thereof to said transverse rod at one end of the rst mentionedpair of side rails, passing over a transverse spacing rod at the pivotpoint of the said pairs of side rails and secured at its other end to atransverse rod removably held by said other pair of side rails, legspivoted to the other pair of side rails, said legs being swingabledownwardly as well as the said braces, the arms and pivoted rods beingfoldable to the reverse side of their side rails, said short arms beingswingable downwardly to engage said braces in their downward position,the pairs of side rails being swingable into alignment to form a cot,eye clamps secured to said side rails, and pliable strips secured tosaid eye clamps when in a cot position, said strips adapted to crossfrom one side to the other of said side rails beneath the rst mentionedpliable strip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 157,042Vass Nov. 17, 1874 322,354 Davey July 14, 1885 654,221 Brodeur July 24,1900 722,758 Savidge Mar. 17, 1903 1,378,505 White May 17, 19211,984,786 Dujardin Dec. 18, 1934 2,006,277 Olsen June 25, 1935 2,011,874Ricketts Aug. 20, 1935 2,611,418 Antelman Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS583,299 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1946

